Back rest



Jan. 16, 1923.

A. A. POLHAMUS ET AL. BACK REST. FILED AUGJH, 1921.

Patented Jan. 16, 1923.

ALBERT A. POLHAMUS AND WALTER A. GILLETTE, 01? SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

BACK REST.

Application filed August 31, 1921. Serial No. 497,332.

To all whom it may concern:

llc it known that we, ALBERT A. Forum- Mus and WALTER A. ilELLl LTTE, citizens of the United States, residin at. South Pasadena, in the county of Los i ngeles and State of California. have invented new and useful Improvements in Back Rests, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a folding back rcst; the principal object of our invention being: to provide a relatively simple and. practical back rcst that is designed for use on benches and in amphithcatres and gratuistands. and which back rest includes a folding member that may be elevated to form a support and rest for the back of the occupant of the seat.

Further objects of our invention are to provide a seat back rest that may be easily and cheaply produced, and which is capable of being readily folded so as to occupy com-' parat-ively little space when packed for storage or transportation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hcrcinaftcr more fully dcr-cribed and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a back rest of our improved construction with the back supporting member in folded position upon the base.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the back rest in position for use.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying; drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of our invention. 10 designates a base member that may be in the form of a disc or plate and composed of wood. metal or fiber board. and the under side of said mcmbcr being; preferably flat in order that it may rest firmly upon a horizontally disposed surface. Secured in any suitable manner to the rear portion of this base is ashort strap 11. the rear end of which iscurved upwardly and forwardly as designated by 15. and the forward end of said curved rear portion terminates in a pair of horizontally disposed loops 16. Passing through these loops is a pin or bolt 17. and hinged thereupon and disposed between the loops 16 is a loop 18 that is formed on the lower end of an arm 19 that is composed of a pair of relatively heavy wire rods. At the upper end of this arm 19 the wire rods composing; the same are twisted upon each other. as designated by 20, and from said twisted portions the rods extend outwardly away from each other in opposite directions. as designated by 21, and the end portions of the rods are bent upwardly as designated by :22 so as to occupy planes substantially parallel with the plane occupied by the arm 19.

The end. portions of a section 52 of flexible material, such as -anvas. are foh'led over to form hems 24, and which latter arc positioned on the upright portions 522 of the folded back rest. Thus the flexible member 2- is supported in a firm and substantial manner a short distance above the rear portion of the seat member 12. and it forms a support and rest for the back of the occupant of the seat.

The material from which the arm 19 is formed is resilient to a certain degree. and thus the back rest will yield for a limited distance rearwardly to the movements of the body of the person occupying the seat. and this yielding support for the back is en hanced by the resiliency of the material in the portions 21 and 22 of the back rest.

The upwardly and forwardly curved rear end 15 of the strap 11 enables the occupant of the seat to rock rearwardlv a slight distance thereby adding to the comfort afforded by the device.

Thus it will be seen that we have produced a relatively simple structure that may be conveniently carried by its user, and which when unfolded and positioned on a bench, or like support. provides a comfortable back rest and support.

It will be understood that minor changes in size, form and construction of the various parts of our improved folding: back rest may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of our invention. the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

Vi e claim as our invention:

1. A folding back rest comprising a Hat base. a curved arm extending outwardly. upwardly and inwardly from the base. hinge loops upon the upper inner end of the arm. wire rods twisted. upon each other. the lower ends of said rods being parallel and in contact, a second hinge loop formed upon said lower ends to match the first hinge loops. a pin connecting the three loops together. the

Ill

11mm unis of tin! i'orls l ving bunt outwardly aml then upwardly and a (anvas mounted upon fin npwanilly Extending onclH in form a bavl; and so that the back will folrl (lownmmlly upon the lliwand folil upwardly to a \erlival position.

i A lolrling, lmel; rvsl vomprising a liasv, am] a lam-k i'u-uiving portion liingeilly suslainml on the basv and comprising a strand of \VllU illililtwizitfll at a point, intermediate the'ir ends to provide contacting linear poi.- tions having looped ends, and L-shaped portions extmnling laterally in opposite directiom from the linsar portions and ofisvtwith relation to tho latter, and a flexible member vomit-cling anii spanning lilo L-almpoql mi tions.

3. A folding hark rest ('fliiiil li-llllg' :1 Hal base, a snl'istantially J-shaporl spring SBL'Ul'Lli to the ham, and a lam-l; hinged on the spring: to ocmipy a iohiml position upon lln haso and an oxtvnrlml position in which it is substantially vertical, the back when in vertical position abutting the spring so lha the latter servos to resiliently sustain the back in said position.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification.

ALBERT A. POLHAMUS. WALTER A. GILLETTE. 

